Catherynne M. Valente, born on May 5, 1979, is an acclaimed American fiction writer, poet, and literary critic, celebrated for her speculative fiction novels. Her remarkable body of work has earned her prestigious awards such as the James Tiptree, Andre Norton, and Mythopoeic Fantasy awards. Valente's short fiction has graced the pages of Clarkesworld Magazine, and her critical essays have appeared in the International Journal of the Humanities, alongside contributions to numerous essay collections.

Valente is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author with a prolific portfolio of forty books of fantasy and science fiction. Her journey in literature began early, born in Seattle, WA, and growing up in Northern California. She showcased prodigious talent by graduating from high school at age 15, later earning a B.A. in Classics with an emphasis in Ancient Greek Linguistics from UC San Diego and Edinburgh University. Valente's academic pursuits led her to Japan, marking a significant phase of her life before returning to the United States.

Her notable works include Space Opera, The Refrigerator Monologues, Palimpsest, the Orphan’s Tales series, Deathless, Radiance, and the crowdfunded phenomenon The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making and its sequels. Valente has been a towering figure in the literary world, winning and being nominated for major awards such as the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Awards. Her work in expanding the boundaries of gender and sexuality in science fiction and fantasy has been particularly noted, winning the James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award for In the Night Garden.

Valente resides on a small island off the coast of Maine, living a life surrounded by a rich tapestry of inspiration, including a diverse collection of pets, a roomful of yarn, and an endless imagination that fuels her writing. She continues to enchant readers worldwide with her magical prose and captivating storylines.